@Crystal, Not sure if I'm going to post the numbers I lift at the gym. I know I should, so I can chart my strength increase. But I'm kinda self conscientious about it. I also feel like people won't believe me if I toss up certain numbers. For instance, I did shrugs in a trap cage: 16 rep, 4 sets at 6-45lb plates on a 40-50lb bar. That comes out to roughly 320lbs. And some guy at the gym made the comment, "Oh lord that's heavy!" Yet if you look at my traps they aren't insanely big. And yes I know that physic and strength are two completely different things. But that is my way of avoiding criticism. (A trap cage doesn't assist in the lifting it's just a safety implement so you don't have to pick up or put the bar back down on the ground every set, ie no cables)

Thank you, Crystal! I know the pics aren't anything impressive, but hopefully when I reach my target bf% range the muscle group separation will be more obvious. I actually have separation on that bicep pic, but the lighting is so poor that you can't see it; same with the delts.

Anyway, hit the gym this morning and worked chest. Tomorrow is gonna be totally dedicated to back and if I am feeling up to it... I might hit some preacher curls just get that more balanced inner head look. But I rather not mess with it since I've been saving biceps for the home workouts.

I think you should do what works for you in this blog. I know what you mean about being self conscious in it, I am in mine sometimes too. But we should do whatever is going to help our progress. That's why we're here, right?

@vivalasvegans, Thanks for the praise. I'm gonna keep at it, especially back and shoulders.

Ok so THU night I went to visit my mom which I haven't done in awhile. Normally I sneeze a few times after being greeted by her little wiener dog, but man did I have the worst allergic reaction I've ever had. I sneezed non-stop for the 3 or so hours I was there, to the point where I had to leave. I got home and continue to sneeze up a storm to the point where the back of my throat was raw and inflamed. I wake up the next morning, thinking that I'd be fine and hit the gym. But no, my body had a different plan in store for me. I woke up with my chest muscles and ribs super tender, a fever, draining sinus, partially restricted throat and puffy eyes. So I ended up not going to the gym and spending majority of the day either in bed or in the shower taking advantage of some healthy steam.

Anyway, woke up this morning with a decrease in muscle ache, decreased body temp and insane chest congestion. Gonna head into the shower later and see if I can hack up what's in my lungs. After that I should be good. But let me tell you, I don't plan on interacting with that dog anytime soon.

Oh and it's odd for my chest and ribs to hurt after working out. I did slaughter them with supersets of incline and decline dumbbell press, but that isn't anything unusual for me. So I'm gonna chuck that up to the sneezing and allergies.

I am also hoping that I can kick this by either tonight or tomorrow so I can head to the gym and do back.

Ok for the past two days I haven't done any of the frequent cardio routine that I've been on for the past 26 days or so. Mainly from having that allergy attack and attempting to recover.

In the meantime, the stars aligned and an omen was presented to me. My IM certification on my truck was going to expire at the end of this month. So I went in THU morning to a place that I've been taking it for the past 10+ years and sure enough they were closed do to change in ownership and would be re-opening MON. So I held off on dropping the cash. Then last night I decide that I need to go restock on bananas and kale, the base to my green smoothie, and on the way back my transmission finally quits.

Now first let me tell you that I have done everything to reduce my need to drive. I've managed to limit my driving to 920 miles a year. Yes that is all! The main reason why I use the truck is to avoid walking in the winter months, since it's cold and the sidewalks are so poorly maintained that you either have to climb through snow or walk on the street which is very dangerous. I've been hit by a car on my left hip and rode up on the hood with the driver doing nothing but speeding up to get outta the situation. Let me tell you, that was no fun and I still have issues with that hip.

So I figured that all these incidents occurring within a a short time is some sort of omen to junk the truck and walk everywhere I need to. Work and the gym are only 3.3 miles or so one-way from my place. I also do my grocery shopping very close to the mall anyway. So between that and the morning walks to the gym (same-place) that should be 2 round trip walks (13.2 miles) on an avg of 4 times a week (52.8 miles). So gonna stick with that and see if I really need to re-introduce the frequent cardio routine I've been chucking away at.

Oh and trust me, today I am heading out to get reflector tapes for my coat. If they have one of those road worker vests, I am grabbing that too. I am going to do everything, including walking against traffic, to insure that the motorist SEE me.

Got up early this morning to time the walk to work, which was actually only 20 mins...(no idea how fast or slow that is, but I kept a constant pace the entire time) I had no motorist issues going to the mall/gym. Then when I get to the mall I see that they have posted new hours for the holidays that start tomorrow. Apparently this is going to last until Jan 2. Let me tell you my surprise, since I've heard talk about this for awhile now and I don't recall hearing that they were going to get enacted. Anyway...looks like my 7am gym routines aren't going to happen and I'm going to have to either go at 10am or at lunch time. I'll hit that up tomorrow at 10am and see how busy or not busy it is.

Getting back to the training up date, I walked to the gym, hit my back routine, stopped off at a few stores to get some supplies and heading back home. All in all a very productive day. Tomorrow is weight in, lets hope with the 2 days of no cardio and the 1 day of just walking that my progress isn't atrocious.

Oops almost forgot, I made 3 shakes to take on the road with me, since that would simulate what my payload is for the work day. I got to my destination just to find them frozen solid. Yes, it got into the single degrees here, but the wind-chill is what did the shakes in. I am pretty sure that 2 of the 3 shakes will survive my eating schedule, but that first one that I drink 30 mins into my shift won't defrost by then. I am going to have to think of some alternative, maybe those Weil Bars I have in the freezer; I'll pack 1 and 2 shakes.

Anyway, it looks like my diet might again be adjusted One meal out of the seven I eat a day shouldn't make that much of a difference...although it is a 22g increase in carbs

Looks like I gained almost 2 lbs of fat and lost some muscle. I am going to blame it on the days I was sick and just take it in stride. Since that's really a fluke occurrence which I will avoid. Sorry mom

Some Massive Traps happening there!Got thickness as well as height...Helps with those heavy ass Shrugs I bet

Have you ever loved someone so much you didn't care what happened to yourself?
You Just had to be with them.
If they look at you, your heart stops.
If you feel their breath on your skin, you just ache.
Have you ever craved someone so much you didn't exist anymore?

@sydneyvegan, Thanks! I just wish they would climb up more along the side of my neck when I am at rest. I think I would need to focus on neck isolation to achieve that. But I really like how slim and long my neck looks, so I am debating neck iso movements.

Gym will be closed on THU and FRI the mall will be jammed pack so I am going to avoid heading out. I'll hit biceps and delts on those days. Even though I wanted to get legs in this week